Left Behind
by LOTR freak 33
Summary: What happend if Frodo left Sam behind when he left the Shire Slight A.U because he didn't move to his new house and he left early instead of late Please R&R if not I will have no idea if I'm going the right way with this story
1. Prolouge

It was early start for Frodo Baggins on the 23rd of September. He was trying to avoid being seen by anyone as he felt he should go on the Quest by himself. He did not want to bring any of his friends into danger. So he packed late last night and left before dawn. Although he did feel quite guilty about leaving his friends so suddenly. But it could not be helped. He had left a short note on the the dining room table. It read:

_Dear Sam,_

_I know this is sudden, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. You remember Bilbo's stories of course. Well the ring he found in Gollum's cave is apparently quite dangerous. Gandalf says I must take it to Bree where I shall meet up with him, hopefully I can come home by then. So hopefully I'll see you soon._

_Frodo Baggins._

_P.S Sam please don't try and follow me._

_P.P.S Look after Merry and Pippin too._

Sam was up later than usual today as he had been preparing a party for his master's 50th birthday. He had baked a vanilla cake (his master favourite). Invited a few of his closest friends and prepared the plan for that day: he would walk into Bag End and begin making breakfast. He would then wake his master and serve him breakfast. He would the say "I've got something to show you back at my house, sir."

Hopefully his master would comply and go down to Sam's house where he would be greeted with a very nice surprise.


	2. The Letter

Sam entered the through the round green door, it was strangely quiet in Bag-End. "I hope Mr. Frodo isn't ill." thought Sam.

He walked into the kitchen and started preparing a meal for Frodo, with bacon and eggs and mushrooms and tomatoes. All his favourites(of course).

Sam put the food a plate which he set down on the dining room table. It was then he saw the note. Sam frowned when he saw it. He cautiously went over to it as if it was a hurt bird that he wanted to help but would fly away at any sudden movement. When he finally reached it he unfolded the paper and read the message. When he finished the letter slowly fell to the floor like an autumn leave falling from and old tree."Surely this is a joke." he muttered.

He sped into the master's bedroom. Now he realised why it was so quiet. He entered the room. It was cold and empty."NO!" cried Sam.

How could Frodo do this to him. Now he would have to tell everyone at the party that Frodo had gone away, like his uncle. On a quest given to him by Gandalf. If only he hadn't spent so long organising the party, he could have caught Frodo and gone along with him, but if he followed now, he would be defiant towards his master and if the Gaffer ever saw him again after that, well he would wish he had just stayed home in the first place. So Sam went back to his house leaving the lovely meal sitting on the table to become cold and unusable, but that didn't matter to Sam, oh sure there would be a lot of people that would think Sam was upset because he would have to work for the Sackville-Baggins's, or because if he didn't do that his family would starve. But that wasn't why Sam was walking home, nearly blinded by tears, it was because his master and best friend had left him and gone off into who knows what.

"What is it, boy?" asked the Gaffer when Sam walked in.

"It's Mr. Frodo" He sobbed.

"He's not ill is he?"

Sam shook his head

"Not dead?" asked the Gaffer.

"Not that I know of," replied Sam. "I only know that he has gone off into the wild somewhere and don't want me to follow."

"Now Sam!" laughed the Gaffer. "You know how Mr. Frodo is always going off on those little walks of his."

"Not this time Gaf." Answered Sam forlornly "look at his letter." Sam reached inside his pocket but found nothing there. "I musta left it back up a Bag-End. He muttered. So Sam ran back up the dusty path and found the letter lying on the floor of Bag-End's dining room floor. Sam picked it up and took it back down to his Gaffer.

Sam so wanted to follow his master, so he got out his travel pack and started putting things in there that he and his master might need. He was about to head off until he heard the Gaffer's voice

"You saw what he wrote, boy. He don't want you to follow him."

"But he needs me." Said Sam in a pleading voice.

"Not my fault if he dismisses you then" He growled

Does that mean I can go?" cried Sam

The Gaffer nodded. "Thank you, oh thankyou!" Said Sam gleefully.

"But be a good host lad, you organised this party, so you'll be running it."

"Yes, sir."


	3. The Party

It was just before noon when the guests started arriving to the Gamgee house for what was meant to be Frodo's 50th birthday. Merry and Pippin entered first followed by a crowd of about 20 hobbits (a small party compared to Bilbo's 111th and Frodo's 33rd Birthday.), there was Farmer Cotton and his wife who were accompanied by Rosie,Jolly, Nick, Tom and Nibs. The Cottons' were followed by Diamond and Estella who were chatting to Hamson and Halfred and their Uncle Andy. Pippin's sisters(Pearl, Pimpernel Pervinca) entered laughing loudly at some joke one of them had made. They were followed by Merry's parents and Pippin's parents who were listening to Saradoc telling them all stories about when Frodo was a 'little lad'. Last to enter were Peony and Milo, who were holding hands.

The fire was roaring and all the guests had started mingling by the time Sam came out. He was dressed in his best outfit, brown pants and a light blue top with a white over coat. He walked over to the fire, where Rosie was standing and started having a conversation about how thing were going. Merry, who was talking to Estella, suddenly spied Sam out of the corner of his eye. He apologised to Estella and went over to talk to Sam.

"Hello Sam!" He said.

"Afternoon Mr. Merry, and how are you?"

"Fine thank you, and you?

"Alright" Said Sam Gruffly

"Haven't seen Frodo yet." Said Merry. "Do you know where he is?"

"Not exactly, sir, no."

"What do you mean 'not exactly?'"

"I'll explain it to everyone later."

"When exactly is 'later?'"

"After afternoon tea."

"Very well." Said Merry, he turned around and went to resume his conversation with Estella.

It would have been about 45 minutes after the conversation between Merry and Sam. Sam came out bearing a very large and very delicately decorated vanilla cake. Gasps of awe were heard about the room. Sam smiled proudly. He put the cake in the middle of the room. Several yell were heard for Frodo to 'Come out!'

"Now before we have the cake." Announced Sam. " I have something to tell you all"

Sighs of Disappointment were heard then Merry yelled "I think you've being hanging around my cousin too long, now you're giving speeches!"

Laughter was ringing about the room. Sam began his speech. "Well, my speech has something to do with your missing cousin. I'm afraid he's not coming."

"Can we still have his cake?" Asked Pippin, his mind always on food.

"He's not ill is he?" Asked Rosie.

"What are you up to, Sam?" Laughed Halfred.

"To answer you questions" Sam cried loudly. "Yes, you can still have the cake, it took me hours to make that and I don't want it to go to waste. No, as far as I know he is not ill. I'm up to nothing, Halfred, I'm not planning to have my master just appear next to me, like old Mr. Bilbo Disappeared!"

Pippin gave a cry of joy, Rosie a sigh of relief and Halfred a distrustful look. "So where is my nephew?" Asked Saradoc.

"All I know is, he was sent on a quest from Gandalf, like old Mr. Bilbo was, said he was going to Bree to meet up with Gandalf."

"Gandalf has been nothing but trouble for those two." This from farmer Cotton.

"So, how do you know where he's gone?" Said Saradoc.

"A letter." Sam answered. "I'll show it to you after we have the cake if you wish."

Merry and Pippin nodded and said together "Oh, and Sam if you plan to follow him, we are coming to!"

Sam sighed.

Sam had just served the last person their piece of cake, then he was face to face with a very inquisitive Merry and Pippin (who had cake around his mouth).

"Show us the letter, Sam."

"Very well Mister Merry." Said Sam as he drew the parchment from his trouser pocket. "Here it is."

Merry read it slowly then handed to Pippin, so he could read it.

"So, that ring was dangerous?"

"Yes."

"Cousin Frodo is playing a nice little joke." Pippin put in.

"Not a joke Pip." Said Merry gravely.

"Well we best get ready to follow him." Said Pippin. "I've always wanted to see beyond the borders of the Shire, as every good Took does!"

"Right, let's go get some stuff, good thing we planned to stay with Frodo for a while!"

Sam paled. "Sorry sirs', you can't come. Master asked me to make sure you two were kept safe, and told me not to follow him."

"But you're going to anyway, because you are as worried as we are." Said Merry darkly.

"But he's already most likely going to be very angry with me for following him when he asked me not to, imagine if I brought you two along when he asked me to keep you safe!"

"You won't have to imagine soon, Sam!" Said Pippin obviously very excited.

Sam started sobbing. Merry and Pippin looked startled, and everyone else in the room turned to the sobbing Samwise. Rosie glared darkly at Merry and Pippin, before running forward to embrace Sam.

"What's wrong, dear?" She asked innocently.

"It's Mr. Frodo!" He answered brokenly.

"What about him?"

"He's left me, and gone away into who knows what, to be hurt and who knows what else."

"I'm sure he's fine."

"How do you know?" He snapped.

"I don't. But you're master is quite capable. After all, he is 50!"

Sam sighed and wiped away his tears. Still not thoroughly convinced. "But he is going to BREE!" he shouted. "There are all kinds of bad folk there, and Mr. Frodo is too trusting, he'll talk to anyone, don't you remember the gossip about what happened when he first came here?"

"Yes, I remember." She said sadly.

(Flashback)

Frodo had just arrived, he was now going to be staying with his Uncle Bilbo. But unfortunately the Sackville-Baggins family was also coming for a visit. They had invited themselves over for afternoon tea, (as the always did) Because Lobelia was anxious to find out if the rumours were true. If 'Mad Baggins' was really adopting a Brandybuck.

They arrived about an hour after Frodo. Lobelia knocked on the door impatiently.

"Coming, Coming!" They heard Bilbo calling from inside.

"Hurry up!" She screeched.

Bilbo opened the door and greeted them as nicely as it is possible to greet someone you hate utterly. "Hello." He said

"Yes, yes hello." Said Otho impatiently. As they were walking into the kitchen, Lotho slipped by, unnoticed.

Lotho heard singing coming from down the hall. He could not discern the words as they were heard through walls. But Lotho immediately new who it was singing. He followed the melodic voice until it was at it's loudest. He entered the room without knocking. Frodo turned around when he heard the footsteps. As he had only been there an hour Bilbo had not had the time to warn Frodo of the Sackville Baggins family.

"Hello." Frodo greeted cheerily holding out his hand in a gesture of friendship. "Who are you?"

"Lotho." He replied ignoring the offered hand.

"Hello, Lotho." He replied, still determined to make friends with the older boy. "I'm Frodo."

"I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!"

"O..okay. Want to go tree climbing?"

A mischievous grin formed on Lotho's face. "Alright!"

Frodo smiled happily.

As they were walking out the door, Frodo heard his uncle talking with someone, 'Lotho's parents.' He thought. "Just going for a walk with, Lotho!" he called.

Bilbo, who wasn't really paying any attention called back "Alright."

They walked out the door together. Frodo was leading Lotho to his favourite climbing tree. (As he had visited his uncle before and climbed trees whilst his uncle was writing.)

"Almost there!" He said

"How much longer?" Lotho answered happily.

"Not long." After about 4 more minutes of walking, Frodo cried "There it is!" He raced forwards and started climbing up to his favourite branch.

"Can't you go any higher than that?" Laughed Lotho. Climbing about 3 more meters higher. Frodo looked at him warily. Lotho seeing the look immediately said "It's alright. I won't let you fall."

So Frodo climbed up and sat next to Lotho, clinging onto the branch. "Come on, Frodo, trust me." He said. "I won't let you fall."

Frodo slowly released his grip "I.. I trust you." He said shifting closer to Lotho.

After about an hour and a half Lotho said "I'm hungry, and it's getting about afternoon tea time. How about we head back?"

Frodo nodded and began to climb down. Lotho went down shortly after. He was quite fast at climbing down and quickly caught up with Frodo, who was going quite slowly. Suddenly Lotho stood on Frodo's fingers. "OWWWW!" he cried, and as an instinct he wrenched his hand away.

"FRODO!" Cried Lotho, pretending to care as he watched his cousin fall backwards, away from the tree and hit the ground with a thud. Frodo didn't move again. Lotho scrambled down the tree just in case his cousin was still aware of his surroundings. He wasn't. Lotho ran back to bag-end, he burst through the door calling for help.

"What is it?" Asked Lobelia.

"It's Frodo, he fell out of a tree."

"HOW!" Said Bilbo, his voice like thunder.

"Accidently stood on his fingers." He said Breathlessly. "I'll take you to him."

So the four of them ran back to the place were Frodo had fallen. They reached the in about 5 minutes.

"Frodo!" Cried Bilbo, as he rushed towards the still unconscious boy. Tears stained his wrinkled face as he gently stroked a pale cheek. "Wake up, lad!" He called. After about 5 minutes of this, Frodo's eyes fluttered open.

"Bilbo?" He whispered.

"Yes, my boy. Where does it hurt?"

"My leg and shoulder."

"Okay, I'll get a healer, Lotho would it trouble you to-." Lotho had already ran off "We'll be back at bag-end!" He yelled.

The healer cam and assessed Frodo's condition. He had a broken ankle and a dislocated shoulder, which had been painfully put back into place.

"He'll should be in bed for some weeks." Said the healer. Bilbo nodded. His boy would be well taken care of.

(End Flashback)

"He was in bed for many weeks, I visited him daily. He was right happy to see me too. Enjoyed my company, and I guess that's how we became friends." Said Sam forlornly. "Me visiting him, keeping him entertained while Mr. Bilbo was out at the market. As he couldn't read cause his shoulder was too sore to move just yet. But he still trusted people. Even after Lotho told him the real story.

"It's different here than it is at Bree, I'm sure he'll be more wary." Said Rose, and with that she left.

'I'm still gonna follow 'im' thought Sam. 'You cannot change my mind.'


End file.
